For a dish that began as the `poor man's pudding', it has been an interesting journey of seven centuries for this recipe. The first bread pudding was just a means of utilizing stale bread, but today, it no longer holds this dubious distinction. With its various additives, this recipe is now a great dessert in its own right.
Bread pudding is prepared with breads which are specially made; it could be either fresh or stale bread (brioche, challah, croissant, panettone, etc.) that is soaked in a rich custard made up of milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and spices.
A whole lot of other interesting things can be added - nuts, zests, candies, or even fresh fruit. This pudding can be steamed or baked, and both varieties make great tasty dishes. This versatile dessert can be served either hot or cold, and it can be accompanied by ice cream or soft whipped cream.
The recipe for a classic English bread pudding in its new, low fat, and easy-to-make method, is given below:
Ingredients
Whole-Wheat Bread, 12 slices (cut into ½ inch cubes)
Milk, 2 cups (fat-free)
Egg Whites, 4
Sugar, 3 tbsp.
Margarine, 2 tbsp. (melted)
Vanilla, 1 tbsp.
Cinnamon, 2 tbsp. (grounded)
Raisins, ½ cup
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 2 quart casserole dish and set aside. Blend together the milk, egg whites, sugar, margarine, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add bread and raisins. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish. Bake for 35 minutes until it turns brown. Cool on a wire rack. Garnish with chopped nuts, pecan nuts, or even chopped almonds.
Another great recipe would be for a Steamed Pudding. Of course, this will not be as simple as just baking the dish in the oven; steaming takes much longer and proper apparatus is required.
In case you do not have anything else, try boiling water in a large pan, and steam the pudding in a shallow dish covered with foil inside the pan, with the water boiling on low flame. If necessary, keep adding water. Never let the pan become dry, and also ensure that the water level does not exceed half the height of the steaming dish.
Ingredients
Bread, 12 slices (a day old and diced)
Sultanas, ⅓ cup (chopped)
Candied Peel, ⅓ cup
Pecan Nuts, (chopped) ⅓ cup
Sugar, 3 tbsp.
Eggs, 2
Zest
Lemon Rind, (medium-sized) 1
Lemon Juice, ½ tbsp.
Cinnamon, (powdered) ½ tsp.
Allspice, (powdered) ½ tsp.
Milk, (not very cold) 1 cup
Sugar for the Caramel, 3 tbsp.
Method: Place the sugar in a saucepan and caramelize, i.e., melt it till it forms a dark brown layer (caramel) at the base. Add milk and stir it till the caramel dissolves, forming a light brown liquid with a faint fragrance.
In another bowl, mix the bread, nuts, sultanas, chopped candied peel, lemon rind, zest, rest of the sugar, milk with caramel, and the powdered cinnamon. Let the mixture soak up the milk thoroughly, especially if the bread is older than one day.
In a steaming mold, pour in the mixture, and cover with a foil crimping the edges tightly inwards. Steam for about two hours on a steamer; when cooked, take it out on a dish and cool. Serve with a garnish of grated lemon rind, crushed pecan nuts, and any sweet sauce (like maple syrup).